This Summer I was a Tourist At Home!

In response to the Day 4 prompt of the Writing 101 course!

Come summer and we are all excited. That is when we pack our bags and travel to those exotic, tropical attractive destinations we added into our bucket list. I love to travel and have a long list of countries I want to visit. I usually visit one or two destinations in a year. I travel when my son has his 2 months summer break from school.

My son was bitten by the wanderlust the moment he was born! The first time he and I traveled on a vacation together was when he was 56 days old, then when he was 3 months, 6 months, 10 months old! I would not be bragging if I say that my little boy is an amazing travel partner. He enjoys every aspect of traveling. He loves to help me pack, he carries his own backpack, he loves spending time in the airport, taking long flights or road trips!

This year was different, though. A change of job in the month of April meant that I could not take a vacation for the next 6-8 months minimum!

Thus, it was no wonder that my little one was very upset when I told him that we wouldn’t be travelling this summer. I did not have to try too hard to see his disappointment, the pouted lips and teary eyes said it all. I decided to make his summer as exciting as it would be if we were traveling.

I decided to become a tourist at home! When you think about, we take our hometowns for granted and fail to see the beauty they exhibit.

Since we live in Virginia, we decided to explore the areas in and around Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Delaware.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so I am going to share our experience using more pictures and fewer words!

1. A day in the Capital City – Washington DC

The capital of the country, DC is famous for its museums and memorials, we walked around the city exploring the cultural hub. There is so much more to DC than the limited pictures you see here.

Washington Memorial

Lincoln Memeorial

White House, Of Course!

Smithsonian

Smithsonian Garden

2. Hiking the River Trail, Great Falls, Virginia

Virginia is popular as a winery destination, but it also has great geographical terrain with beautiful rivers, bays and the ocean. We decided to hike the river trail at the Great Falls. The pictures speak for themselves!

Potomac River

Potomac River

Water Mark per Year

We climbed all the way up!

He loves to climb!

3. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

The sleepy town of Rehoboth with its tree-lined neighborhood, sandy beach and diverse community gives it a unique character that makes you fall in love with it. Take a look at the pictures, you will know what I mean!

The Drive was Beautiful!

The Boardwalk at the Beach

The Beautiful Town!

Absolutely amazing Beach!

I hope these pictures inspire you to become tourists in your hometown. What is that one best feature you like about your hometown? Let me know in the comments!

(All pictures copyright – Mind and Life Matters)